The Orphan Lake Trail is a 4.5 mile loop through some of the prettiest terrain in Lake Superior Provincial Park. The path leaves the Trans-Canada in the south end of the park. It climbs to a beautiful overlook of its namesake lake, which is landlocked some 400 feet above Lake Superior. From the overlook it follows Orphan Lake for a bit, crosses a burned area from the 1990's which offers beautiful views, and then makes the steep descent to the lakeshore. After a brief time along Superior the trail turns back inland past what, in warmer seasons, is a series of nice cascades and then makes the STEEP climb back to Orphan Lake past some impressive cliffs.

After a two year absence from Lake Superior Provincial Park my calendar and clear skies finally aligned and I was blessed to a truly amazing day on the trail. This hike is sure to be one of my most memorable from winter '09/10...

One of those special sections of trail that will just put a smile on your face...

Orphan Lake Trail

Let the loop begin...I'd head left now towards the Orphan Lake overlook...

Orphan Lake Trail

The first three-quarters of trail are quite easy going, with only slight climbs on the way to the overlook...

Orphan Lake Overlook

Orphan Lake...my first BIG WOW moment of the day. The lake was named by a couple local trappers who, describing what they must have looked like at the time, were stuck here briefly during a fierce winter storm...

Orphan Lake Overlook

Gitchee Gumee from the Orphan Lake Overlook. The lake, though less than a mile from the lake, sits nearly 400 feet above it...

Orphan Lake 'Shortcut'

After a quick drop down to the lakeshore, I decided to stick to the nice flat ice rather than the un-tracked woods...

Orphan Lake 'Shortcut'

Panoramic still shots don't really do the trick some times, so here's a look at Orphan Lake from its west shore...

Orphan Lake Trail

Back in the woods again...

Orphan Lake Trail

Looking across at the cliff overlook I visited earlier, from the west shore of Orphan Lake...

Orphan Lake Trail

The woods are very thick, right up to the lakeshore, giving only brief glimpses of the lake through the trees...

Orphan Lake Trail

In May of 1998, a small fire broke out (don't smoke in the woods!!!) along the west shore of Orphan Lake. Twelve years later the scar is still quite noticeable but the next stage of succession, Speckled Alder, heralds the eventual return of the forest...

Orphan Lake Trail

Spruce skeletons along the Orphan Lake shore...

The Burned Ridge

Breaking into the open atop the ridge almost took my breath away, and not just from the wind...

The Burned Ridge

Another look at the big lake from atop the burned ridge...

The Burned Ridge

A look around from the top of the burned ridge...

The Burned Ridge

The sweeping panorama from the top of the burned ridge...

Orphan Lake Trail

Back at the main trail...my new hiking pole, which someone was kind enough to leave here for me, rests against the trail sign...

Orphan Lake Trail

The trail from the ridge down to the lake was STEEP...for the first time it got me to thinking about the climb back to the car...

Orphan Lake Trail

The trail here almost felt like a back country ski route...

Orphan Lake Trail

The forests of Lake Superior Provincial Park sit along the border of the boreal woods to the north and the mixed deciduous woods to the south. The trail frequently passes from one such forest to another on several occasions. Here I pass through a boreal-type woodland dominated by Balsam Fir and Spruce...

Orphan Lake Trail

At this point the trail flattened out and I thought I was finished with the climb down...in fact I was only about half way...

Orphan Lake Trail

Descending again...

Orphan Lake Trail

Not too much later I finally reached the bottom of the ridge...I knew my bad knee was not going to like the climb back up...

Orphan Lake-Coastal Trail Junction

Arriving at Lake Superior and the Coastal Trail...

Lake Superior

Looking back at the point where the trail breaks out of the forest onto the shore...

Baldhead Beach

Baldhead Beach is a HUGE pebble beach that stretches quite a distance in either direction. This view looks north in the direction I'd be heading...

Baldhead Beach

Looking south from the same spot as the previous shot, at Baldhead Beach...

Baldhead Beach

A rock-hounds' paradise, no?

Baldhead Beach

Snowshoes + rock = not recommended

Baldhead Beach

Lake Superior agates...

Coastal Trail

The trail turned inland here, at the Baldhead River. I wanted to head out to the point first, though...

Baldhead Beach

A large, rocky bar extended across the river mouth so, happily, I wouldn't have to cross as much ice as I first thought...

Baldhead Beach

The Baldhead Rivermouth...

Baldhead Beach

Arriving at the point I was treated to a beautiful panorama of the terrain I had just crossed. The bald peak left of center is the burned ridge I had passed earlier...